Why We Love Boneless Pork Roasts
This recipe uses a boneless pork sirloin roast, an easy-to-find cut of meat that makes a great choice for both special occasions and Sunday dinners for family and friends. It’s the perfect size for a small group of guests, or if you’re serving a larger crowd, you can simply make more than one.
Over the years, our Italian-inspired recipe has become extremely popular with readers during the holidays because it’s easy to make and always yields tender and juicy results. Read on for shopping tips and more information.
The Main Ingredient
Also referred to as a boneless, center-cut pork loin roast, this tender cut of pork comes from the area between the shoulder and back legs of the animal. These roasts cook fairly quickly, are easy to carve, and when done to the proper internal temperature (don’t overcook), turn out tender, juicy, and full of flavor.
Boneless pork sirloin roasts generally weigh between 2-1/2 and 3 pounds, and serve 4 to 6 people, depending on your choice of side dishes. This makes the cut a great choice for smaller gatherings, but you can also feed a larger group by cooking two of them side by side.
Shopping tip: Be sure to ask your butcher to leave a thin layer of fat on the top of the roast as it will render during cooking and essentially baste the pork as it cooks.
Key Flavors
The secret to this recipe is our Italian-inspired garlic and herb rub. It’s fabulous on both this boneless pork roast and its fancier cousin, the crown roast. In addition to olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Minced garlic: As the name of the recipe implies, fresh garlic is the primary flavor in this rub and you can adjust the amount according to personal taste.
- Fresh thyme: Thyme has an earthy flavor that pairs exceptionally well with pork and poultry and provides the background flavor for the rub.
- Fresh rosemary: Rosemary has a distinctive and pungent flavor that is delicious when used in the right quantity, but it can be overpowering if you use too much. Be sure to measure carefully and strip the leaves from the woody stems before chopping.
- Fresh sage: Like rosemary, sage has an assertive flavor that needs to be used with care. Small, tender leaves can be chopped along with their thinner stems, but larger leaves should be stripped from the stems before chopping.
- Orange zest: Orange zest adds both a bright, citrus flavor and a touch of sweetness to the rub. Be sure to use fresh though, as dried will harden further during roasting and change the texture of the crust.
How To Make Garlic and Herb-Crusted Boneless Pork Roast
This is an overview of how this dish is made. You’ll find detailed measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version of the recipe below.
- Remove the pork from the refrigerator 30 minutes in advance to bring it up to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F convection) and fit a rack inside a roasting pan (or straight-sided casserole dish) just large enough to accommodate the roast. Coat with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Chop the herbs, mince the garlic, grate the orange zest, then combine with olive oil, salt, and pepper for the rub.
- Spoon the rub onto the pork roast and using your hands, spread to coat the roast as thoroughly as possible.
- Pour 1/2-inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan (this creates moist heat) and place the pork roast fat side up on the rack.
- Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 140°F, 45 to 60 minutes. Start checking after 35 minutes (see notes).
- Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- Slice and serve on a platter garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs.
Pro Tip for Tender, Juicy Pork
Because lean cuts of pork like this one often lack marbling, it’s important that you don’t overcook them or they can turn out dry and tough.
We recommend removing your roast from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 140°F. Carry-over heat will raise the internal temperature by at least 5° as the roast rests. Be sure to use an accurate instant-read thermometer and test your roast in the center.
Table for Two: How to Scale This Recipe
If you’d like to scale down this boneless pork roast recipe to make just two servings, cut your roast in half and freeze the other portion. You can leave the other half intact to make another roast at a later date, or slice it into boneless chops (try our Pork Chops with Pears and Blue Cheese).
To cook a half roast, cut back the rub ingredient quantities by 1/3. You’ll want to reduce the roasting time as well. Start checking for doneness after 20 minutes. If you have leftover pork, slice it as thinly as you can and use it for sandwiches. It’s great on a soft roll with honey mustard, a little thinly sliced sweet onion, and mild white Cheddar.
Make It a Meal: Our Complete Menu
We’ve expanded on the Italian-style flavors in the rub for the roast and paired it with easy, make-ahead dishes to create a full menu that includes an appetizer, two tasty side dishes, and dessert.
- Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms – Made with fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a topping of melted Asiago cheese, these stuffed mushrooms are easy to make in advance.
- Parmesan Pasta with Cabbage and Thyme – This savory combination of sautéed cabbage, pasta, fresh thyme, garlic, and Parmesan cheese is an Italian variation of our family recipe for Hungarian Cabbage Noodles.
- Green Beans and Tomatoes Oreganata – This delicious, crumb-topped casserole of fresh green beans and diced tomatoes is the perfect make-ahead side dish because it tastes even better when reheated.
- Orange Rosemary Biscotti – Flavored with rosemary, orange liqueur, orange zest, and pine nuts, these biscotti make a perfect finish for this meal. Serve with coffee or espresso.
Wine Pairing Recommendations
There are a number of wines that pair nicely with the flavors in this pork roast. For red lovers, we recommend Barbera or Pinot Noir. For those that favor white wine, try a Soave Classico or Riesling.
Garlic and Herb Crusted Boneless Pork Roast
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 to 3- pound boneless pork roast, (loin/sirloin)
For the rub:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (leaves only), finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons orange zest, freshly grated
Instructions
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator 30 minutes ahead of time to bring it to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F convection) and fit a rack inside a roasting pan (or straight-sided casserole dish) just large enough to accommodate the roast. Coat with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Make the rub by combining the olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme, and orange zest in a small bowl.
- Spoon the rub onto the pork roast and using your hands, spread to coat the roast as thoroughly as possible.
- Pour 1/2-inch of water into the bottom of the roasting pan (this creates moist heat) and place the pork roast fat side up on the rack.
- Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast registers 140°F, 45 to 60 minutes. Start checking after 35 minutes (see notes).
- Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
- Slice and serve on a platter garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs.
Chris says
I want to try this today but I have a question. After placing the water in the roasting pan, do I cover the roast with the lid to the roasting pan? I see the recipe then says “remove from oven and tent loosely with foil”. Does that mean I didn’t have a cover on the meat previously?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Chris,
Thanks for getting in touch. Yes, you want to roast the pork uncovered. Once it reaches the internal temp of 145° you can take it out of the oven and tent some foil over it loosely while it rests before carving.
Lindsey says
Would I be able to do this in the crockpot? If so, would you suggest any ingredient amoount changes and how long do you think? Thanks, looking forward to trying this!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Lindsey,
I’ve never made this in the crockpot, but here’s how I would do it:
Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper brown it in a skillet on all sides. Place it in the crockpot, then sauté the garlic in the pan drippings just until soft – not browned. Add the thyme, sage and orange zest and spread the mixture over the top of the roast.
Omit the rosemary at the beginning because it tends to get bitter when cooked for a long time. You can add a whole sprig during the last 20 minutes of cooking and for some subtle some rosemary flavor.
Pour in 1/2 cup of liquid. Try a combination of low-sodium or homemade chicken broth and orange juice to bring out the flavor of the orange zest a little more. You could also use white wine if you prefer.
Cooking time is where I’m not too sure. You still want to bring the roast to an internal temperature of 140° to 145° but pork can get very dry in the crockpot, so I would say 4 hours on low should be more than enough to cook a boneless roast like this yet keep it tender. I will depend on the crockpot to some degree too.
Your question has piqued my curiosity and I’ve added a crockpot version of this roast to my recipe to-do list. Let me know if you try it. I’d love to hear how you make out.
Stan Smith says
Hi, I have been cooking pork loin for several years. I use a crock pot and cook on low for 6-7 hours. I spice the meat with salt, pepper an garlic powder.then brown it in a cast iron skillet. Place the loin on a bed of sliced onions and let it cook.It falls apart and you can use it as a meal with potatoes and gravy and a veggie. You can add potatoes, carrots, celery about anything. It all get done at the same time put the veggies in with about 2 hour left to cook. I like to shred mine and I use it to make burritos or enchiladas. It is great with New Mexican red chile..
Elizabeth says
I did try this in the crockpot and it didn’t turn out as well as the oven. I wouldn’t make it in the crockpot again.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for letting us know about your experience. I think it’s tough to get great results from the crockpot with a leaner cut of pork like a sirloin roast.
Luz says
The recipe was great! I cut slits into the top of the roast and stuffed it with pressed garlic and I slathered it with salt and pepper prior to adding the rub. Only down side is my roast was 2.2lb and only half of it was cooked when I cooked it for 55 min and the internal temp reached 145 degrees. The bottom half was rare. I do not have a roasting pan so I used a pan and a cooling rack to set it on top. That may have been part of the problem. =/ I would love to try this recipe again, but maybe with a smaller roast and with an actual roasting pan.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Luz – Thanks for sharing your experience. Roasting pans do have low sides that allow for better heat circulation around your meat, but in lieu of getting a new pan, you could try roasting the pork bottom side up for about 20 minutes, then turn it right side up to finish cooking. You can also rotate the pan when you put it back in the oven. Allow 3 or 4 minutes extra to compensate for the heat loss from opening the door as well. Hope this helps!
Elizabeth says
This was fantastic! I also used dried herbs because I didn’t feel going to the store. I also used lemon zest instead of orange because I had it. We loved this!
Lynne Webb says
Thanks Elizabeth! So glad you enjoyed it.
Samantha says
Absolutely AMAZING, flavorful, delicious, juicy, aromatic, INCREDIBLY EASY recipe. My only substitutions were I doubled the garlic, since there’s no such thing as “too much garlic”, and I used dried sage…about 1tsp. The other herbs and orange zest were fresh. ..actually I probably used more like 3 tsp zest…the whole zest of a small orange. ..because I like citrus too!! My roast was just about 2 lbs …we had roasted asparagus and my husband had a baked potato, and there is enough of the roast for tomorrow nights dinner…by the way…this is the first time I felt impressed enough with a recipe to take the time to write a review. TO ANY NEWBIE COOKS, TRY THIS!!
Jann says
I made this for New Years dinner. I ordered a 6 1/2# roast from my butcher, which was actually 2 small roasts tied together. I doubled the ingredients for the rub, cooked it to 145 degrees which took about 2hrs & 10 min. My house smelled fantastic (used all fresh herbs except the sage, used a little less than recipe called for since it was dried), the roast was moist & delicious and I’ll definitely be making this again! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!!
Lynne Webb says
Hi Jann,
So glad you enjoyed the pork roast – I’ll bet it did smell great. Thanks for letting us know the quantities and cook times for a larger roast. Your feedback is much appreciated. Happy 2015!
Sue Lane Helton says
I have two roast weighing 2.6 lbs. each. They are fresh pork sirloin roast. They have a small bone on one side and I can’t tell if it goes all the way through. Do I cook them the same way as boneless?
Lynne Webb says
Hi Sue,
Without seeing your roasts, it’s a bit hard for me to weigh in, but I think you can proceed with the recipe as written for the most part. Since the roasts only weigh a little over 2.5 lbs with a bone included, you should probably start checking the internal temperature a little sooner – perhaps after 45 minutes in the oven. Be sure to stay clear of the bone with the thermometer though, as you won’t get an accurate reading if it’s touching.
Susan J. says
I use fresh rosemary and herbes de Provence since I always have a bottle in the house. I also make a sauce of canned, or fresh, cranberries, caramelized onions, rosemary and balsamic vinegar, which I serve on the side. Really wonderful recipe!
Lynne Webb says
Sounds delicious Susan. The herbes de Provence would be a nice touch. Thanks for sharing.
Debbi says
DELICIOUS!! I love the way the herbs just hang out in you mouth for awhile. We will definitely have this again.
Lynne Webb says
Thanks Debbi – glad you enjoyed it!
Amy says
This is absolutely the most wonderful pork roast I’ve every prepared of eaten. My boyfriend was so impressed with it that I make it weekly and usually prepare tow of them together. Phenomenal!
Lynne Webb says
Thanks for your comment – we’re so glad you like the recipe.
Tracy Melhinch says
just looking at this is making me hungry
Kari says
I am going to try this recipe. I have a larger group and want to take your advice and cook two roasts side by side. Does the cooking time change? Or will two roasts cook in the same amount of time?
Actually, one roast is 2 lbs. and the other is 2.5 lbs.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Kari,
The cooking time for 2 roasts should be very close to the 55-75 minute range specified in the recipe for a single roast. Every oven is different though, so the most important thing to do is check them with an accurate meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast.
Since one of your roasts is a bit smaller than average, you should probably check it after 45 minutes, then check the larger one 10 minutes later. If they aren’t quite done, put them back in the oven and check every 7 minutes or so until the temperature reaches 145°.
Enjoy!
Sheina says
So delicious! This will be my go-to rub for pork from now on. My cut was only 1.5 lbs. but it still took 75 minutes to reach 145 degrees. I made a simple gravy from the pan drippings by bringing it to boil with some flour. We served it with mashed potatoes for a birthday dinner. Thanks!!!
Janet says
I agree with Janine–this is the best pork roast we’ve ever had! I made a few modifications, mostly that I didn’t read ” fresh” herbs and used a dry mixture of herbs, cutting down the amount, and I didn’t have enough orange zest. I agree with Stattick about the strong aroma while baking, so I’ll try fresh next time. I couldn’t believe it’d be done in such a short length of time, but it was done in 1 hour, and after the foil tent, it was perfection (my roast was only 2 lbs.). Thanks!
Christine says
I made this tonight for my daughters birthday and let me just bow down to you. So simple yet classy and delicious. Thankyou for this wonderful recipe
Janine says
the most delicious pork we have ever eaten. YUM!
anniegi says
This was a terrific roast recipe. I didn’t have citrus but used Lawry’s Montreal steak seasoning & added worcestershire sauce to the mix. Made a really lovely pan gravy.
Don says
Is 145 degrees enough? Just wondering, because that is the lowest recommended temp I have ever seen for this cut of pork. I realize pork doesn’t need to be cooked to death (like it was believed in the past), but it is my understanding that 155 degrees may be a better number.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Don,
Thanks for your comment. The internal temperature of the roast will continue to rise from 5° to 10° as it rests before carving. This will bring the temperature to at least 150°F, more likely a little higher. This is considered medium doneness for pork.
If you prefer your pork well done, remove it from the oven when the internal temperature is 150° or 155°.
Hope this info helps!
Rachel Blanks says
I’m mincing herbs right now to combine with olive oil for my roast. I’m going to refrigerate it with the marinade overnight and roast for Sunday dinner. Alongside will be featured roast turnips, parsnips, and carrots (root vegetable medley) mashed potatoes, and a rich pan sauce from the drippings! Can’t wait to taste this one!
Stattick says
I tried this for Christmas dinner for my girlfriend and I (just the two of us). I didn’t have fresh herbs, just the dried stuff. After hunting around, I found that most of the fresh herbs substitute for dried by halving the amount, but a few of them substitute by a third. I only had table salt, and cut the salt total by half. I only had canola oil, and used the amount asked for. I didn’t even have pepper corns, so used course ground black pepper. I even had to substitute the orange zest for dried orange peel. So really, the only thing I had that didn’t require substitution was the garlic. 😛
My roast was only 2 lbs, so I then cut everything by a third. I figured that there’d just be way too much salt and herbs for a two pound roast, when the recipe was designed for a roast near to two and three quarter pounds. The herbs, for the most part, didn’t divide evenly by then, so I just cut a 1/4 of a teaspoon from all of them, cutting 3/4 down to 1/2, and 1/2 down to 1/4.
The roast… didn’t really smell all that great while it was cooking. Honestly, it just didn’t. It didn’t smell awful, just pungent, almost like scorched garlic. Fresh herbs probably would have made all the difference in the world as far as the nose went.
But the roast was juicy, flavorful, and tasted wonderful. It was a great, savory pork roast, without all that sugery sweetness that everyone seems to want to slather pork with. I will definitely be making this again… and if I can figure out how to improve the aroma, I will. Maybe actual, fresh orange zest is the key – I’m suspicious of the age of what I used.
Lynne Webb says
Glad the roast turned out well. Sounds like you had a good handle on the quantity adjustments.